Seven years in the shelter system and more than a decade building Street Voices. Joél speaks from the inside of the issues your audience cares about.
§ 03 — SpeakingP. 03
Speaking
Keynotes, workshops and conversations that turn lived experience into action.
§ 03.1 — Why JoélP. 04
Not a case study. His story.
Every talk ends with something to use: frameworks, questions and next steps people can act on the following Monday.
Youth assembly or leadership offsite, Joél shapes the message, length and format around your audience and goals.
§ 03.2 — Signature talksTap a talk to open it
Four talks.
Every one tailored.
Resilience · Resourcefulness · Starting now
Joél was on his own at fifteen. Years later, still living in shelters, he was printing a magazine. This keynote unpacks what that journey taught him about resourcefulness and resilience, and how audiences can build with whatever they have right now.
Audiences leave with
- A way to treat constraints as design briefs
- The habit of starting small and publishing often
- Support systems that actually hold
Youth voice · Media · Representation
Street Voices began because Joél didn’t feel heard, so he built his own platform. This talk makes the case that every community needs its own media, and shows how training young people turns them from subjects of stories into storytellers.
Audiences leave with
- Why representation starts with ownership
- Low-cost ways to launch community media
- How to design programs young people actually join
Technology · Equity · Design
Building technology with, not for, the people it serves. Drawing on Street Voices’ directory of free programs and services across the GTA, Joél shares how to design digital tools for people navigating shelters, food insecurity and the systems in between.
Audiences leave with
- How to research with people with lived experience
- Accessibility and low-bandwidth as defaults
- Measuring what matters to users, not just funders
Entrepreneurship · Nonprofits · Partnerships
From a printed pamphlet to an award-winning nonprofit. Joél breaks down how to start, fund and grow a mission-driven venture, including the parts nobody puts in the pitch deck.
Audiences leave with
- How to find your first believers
- Partnering with libraries, funders and institutions
- Sustaining yourself while you build
§ 03.3 — FormatsP. 05
Any room.
Any length.
Keynote
A signature talk shaped around your theme and audience.
Workshop
Hands-on sessions on storytelling, media or community-centred design.
Panel
Conversations on youth, equity, tech and entrepreneurship.
Fireside
An honest conversation, great for smaller rooms and deep Q&A.
Virtual
Every format, delivered for remote and hybrid events.
Built for
§ 03.4 — How booking worksP. 06
Simple from
first email.
Inquire
Share your date, audience and goals through the booking form.
Discovery call
A short call to understand your event and shape the message.
The talk
Joél delivers, stays for Q&A and connects with your audience.
Follow-through
Resources, recaps and optional workshops to keep the momentum going.
Booking 2026–27P. 08
Put Joél
on your stage.
Tell us about your event: the date, the room and what you want people to walk away with.